Lang
9/7/24
The 21st-ranked University of Iowa football team blew a 13 point lead at home, and the Hawkeyes were stunned by Iowa State 20-19 on Saturday.
Kaleb Johnson started the scoring for the Hawkeyes with a 27 yard touchdown run with 6:29 left in the first quarter.
A Jay Higgins interception late in the first quarter led to a Drew Stevens 23 yard field goal early in the 2nd to extend the Iowa lead to 10-0. Stevens added another late in the 2nd to give the Hawkeyes a 13-0 advantage.
Iowa State missed a 41 yard field goal attempt to end the half.
Johnson had a stellar first half, totalling nine rushes for 105 yards and a touchdown. In contrast, Iowa State only had 101 yards total.
But the Cyclone offense came alive in the second half. Iowa State scored their first touchdown of the game at the 8:48 mark of the 3rd quarter to draw to within 13-7.
Iowa answered back with a Johnson three-yard touchdown run to extend the Iowa lead to 19-7 with 4:47 left in the 3rd. A two-point conversion failed…which would turn out to be a pivotal play in the game.
Iowa State countered that with a 75 yard touchdown pass on the next play from scrimmage, making it 19-14 Iowa.
In the 4th quarter, Iowa State connected on a 46 yard field goal with 11:32 remaining to make it 19-17 Iowa.
The two teams exchanged punts, and Iowa bled the clock with a drive that started with 2:37 remaining, giving the ball back to Iowa State at its own 23 with :34 left.
The Cyclones then marched quickly down the field and kicked a 54 yard field goal with :06 remaining. A Cade McNamara Hail Mary was picked off short of the end zone, and Iowa State took back the CyHawk Trophy 20-19.
Iowa falls to 1-1 on the season. They’ll try to get back on the winning track when they host Troy next Saturday at Kinnick Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:00 on FS1.